Hi , when we were small , we as children would get up to all kinds of devilment but we did not get the illnesses that today's children get I think their houses are too clean and I hold the advertisers and disinfected manufactures to blame a little bit of dirt and muck never hurt anyone .( I Wonder have I opened a can of worms) .

Copper rings...I have used old copper pipes....are effective in protecting plants against slugs. As long as they are above ground and not covered with soil
Mummy Muddy Paws

07 Mar 2013 17:58

I agree about the muckiness. I used to have two dogs (sadly lost one this time last year), and two children. I remember when I was pregnant with my first, some of my friends were horrified when the found out I had no intentions of getting rid of my furry babies when the human one came along (even threatened to swop it for a puppy a few times). I've been to folks houses that look cleaner than hospital operating theatres, where the mums are paranoid about cleaning everything that comes into contact with their little darlings. Then they were wondering why their sprog got every little illness that was going around in reception year.

On a separate note, my brother did used to eat coal when younger, kinda explains a lot. A friend in the 6th form got addicted to Bonios, a group of us collectively bet him a pound each he wouldn't eat one, so he did. Then he said it was lovely, and to prove it used to eat them regularly.

Well Pamalala, do hope you have much sucess wth nematodes, and you will for a while, they are very effective - until all the neighbours slugs realise yours is a slug free zone and move in!! However, they will keep whatever it is that you want kept slug free without slugs for a while. Did you not find them very hard work, all that diluting, spreading, washing in etc? You are proably a bright energetic young thing in comparison with me?? Anyway, you will have slug free areas for a while - enjoy.

Ha ha mr/mrs bookertoo - interesting comments - we will see, I am not a young thing , except in my head.

Yesterday was a great day for spreading the little nematodes. Ground very wet already, diluted and sprayed on, and then the heavens opened so did not have to do all the other stuff. Noticed a long slim slug on my grass as I was doing this - gave it a spray - and it has not moved since. It may be a bit too big for my little sparrow and robins though. Why do the Magpies not eat them they eat everything else?

...Protect your crops with Copper. Slugs get an electric shock when they touch the shiny metal. ... Drop captured slugs into a jar of pennies and watch ‘em spark!

Is gratuitous sadistic treatment of animials really necessary?

I normally remove slugs by nighttime inspection, and rehome them. But I've actually just bought a packet of nematodes, and also a roll of copper strip. I'm planning to protect some lupins using the nematodes, and some using copper strip, just to see how effective both of those methods are for me,

Short of driving them miles away, slugs and snails have a homing instinct, this has been proved scientifically. Slugs and snails were marked and moved sometimes as far as 100 feet away, within 2 days they were back!

Missing their Mummy? 'Fraid I'm going to continue beheading them and putting them out for the birds.

Yesterday, I while mulching and weeding near the boundary wall, I found four snails, each one clinging to the back of another. Unworthy suspicion - they were clamped together and sent over from next door? I put them aside and forgot about them. Hope they find their way home!

A neighbour told me on our dog walking chat that his wife was once sunbathing in the garden when a slug sailed over the wall and landed on her tummy. She threw it back and slug-throwing battle ensued!!!

Save 20 per cent across the entire range at Crocus, including everything from plants, trees and shrubs, to tools, furniture, outdoor living and more. Simply enter our discount code at checkout to claim this offer.